Sunday, October 31, 2010

Taiwan Tower_Sustainability Aesthetics & NatureInternational Competition_Conceptual DesignHost Organization:Taichung City Government, Taiwan, R.O.C.http://www.twtower.com.twHonorable Mentions\\Theme_Sustainability Aesthetics & Nature"Mother Earth nourishes everything. Rotating seasons bringin abundant harvest. Agriculture is the origin of Taiwan,and cohabitation with nature is the goal that we purse with.We piled the harvest of rice, spread out beautiful flowerpetals, rise up the basket, and we thanks for the land,thanks for God. The spirit of the design comes from thedialogue between human and nature, through thetransformation of traditional cultural celebrations as asymbol of the essence of Taiwan......"

"大地之母滋養萬物，四時輪轉孕育豐收的穀物，

農業是台灣的根本，和自然共生是我們追求的目標。

我們堆起了秋收的稻穀，灑遍美麗的花瓣，

高高撐起至謝的花籃，我們感謝萬物，感謝大地，

感謝上蒼。本設計精神主軸，取自人與大自然的對話，

藉由傳統文化慶典的轉化作為台灣精神的象徵......"

Circular design elements are a symbol of an abundantharvest of grain. Layers upon layers of petals combinedand framed the foundation of the Taiwan Tower with atraditional Chinese rectangular courtyard. Bamboostructure as an inspiration for the creation of this free-standing light-weight structure of the "Double-Towers"to form a nature "Gateway" to Taichung. A FloatingOrchid as a symbolic tribute of a flower basket presentedto the people and to god......\\Functional Schemes & Design ConceptsTaiwan Tower is to be located at the southern tip of CentralPark, across from the Economic and Trade Park to the north.Its 360m height surpassing the Dadu Mountain vantage pointand affording a view of the Taiwan Strait. Here, visitors willbe treated to a panorama view of the parks, the city and thenatural surroundings. Taiwan Tower will become the first stopfor tourists visiting Central Taiwan. It is designed to be aportal or tourist services as well as the most importantlandmark building in Central Taiwan. As a key tourist stop,Taiwan Tower is anticipated to receive tourists 24hrs a dayand it will accommodate round-the-clock tourist andrecreational activities.Taiwan Tower is a "Double-Tower" scheme with sightseeingand recreational functions and as a model for green building.Its overall functional scheme can be divided into three mainparts from top to bottom;1) Observatory [Entertainment]2) Double-Towers[Ecology]3) Museum Complex [Educational]

The main functions of the Taiwan Tower consist of Observatory,Environmental Quality Monitoring Station, Radio and DigitalSignal Transmission Base & Museums. Besides its sightseeingfunctions, the ecological "Double-Towers' will also consist ofFour Season Vertical Farms, Aviary Habitats & MultipleViewing Platforms with Sky Gardens\\ Experiencing Taiwan TowerThe Taiwan Tower experience starts from the EducationalDevelopment [Museum Complex] on the ground level, visitorsare forced to walk into the centralized courtyard which featuresa 360m High Atrium Lobby that looks up the "Double-Tower".Giving the first impression of an ecological designedenvironment. Each Theme Museum [Past, Present & Future]will feature and exhibits city's development including is history,urban design and planning. It is an interactive and flexiblespace that each museums is designed to attach a specialentertainment facility, such as Outdoor Performing Stage,Water Plaza, Shops, Cafe and a Green House Complex.Visitors continue the journey up and through the EcologicalEnvironment [Vertical Farms & Aviary Habitats]. The elevatorchannels are designed to be located in-between the four-season Vertical Farms and Aviary Habitats which allowvisitors to experience the atmospherical affects while goingup the tower.The tour concludes as visitors are led up the "Double-Tower"to the Entertainment Amenities [Observatories & Restaurants]for a bird's-eye view of Taichung City. At the highest level,visitors can walk freely on the two separated floating podium.An external interior Sky-Walk suspended and connected thenorth podium to the south podium giving visitors a totally newexperience to walk in the sky.\\Iconic LandmarkTaiwan Tower play an inevitable role to a city's aesthetics.This iconic landmark not only includes good functioning withusability, but also be able to attract public attentions. Theform of the Taiwan Tower not only emphasize the building'suniqueness and self-charateristics, Taiwan Tower alsorepresent localization, having ecological properties, andcable to reflect the era's mainstream of aesthetics accordingto folk culture and climate. Taiwan Tower is to possess aform with the characteristics of "Sustainability Aesthetics".

education

work

Steven Ma is a design architect for Coop-himmelb(L)au in Vienna, specialized in digital visualizations, 3d management & productions. He is also the assistant professor in the "Excessive" post-graduate program at the University for Aplied Arts Vienna, Austria. He has worked as a lead designer for Xefirotarch in Los Angeles from 2006-2008.

Born in Hong Kong, Steven holds a master of architecture degree from Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) in 2008, where he graduated with distinction and he has been awarded the AIA Henry Adams Medal and the Best Overall Graduated Thesis Award entitled “Xuberance: Liminal Form & Calligraphical Aesthetics”. He also holds a bachelor of architecture degree from Ryerson University in 2005, graduated with honour and awarded Best Thesis Award.

Steven Ma has lectured at The Bartlett School of Architecture in 2011. He also did several advanced digital workshops which focus on digital design evolution and digital representational techniques at The Institute of Architecture in Dessau, Germany and The Institute of architecture in Wien, Austria.

In 2010, Steven established his own experimental design studio “Xuberance”.